Something More Out There
"Dawn are you almost ready or do you need help with your tux?" my mother yelled for the millionth time. I sighed and looked up from my Daring Doo book which like many other ponies had captured me with its fun and incredible tales of adventure and danger.
The tux which I was supposed to be wearing was currently crumpled in a heap by the wardrobe but judging by the time I probably should have already had it on and been heading out the door with my parents to yet another one of the pointless balls which were thrown in Canterlot Castle.
I was not amused to say the least to be once more dragged by my stuck up rich parents to another one of the hundreds I'd had to attend in my short life but then again I suppose there is a price to pay for being insanely rich.
I looked around my room with a bored expression as I took in the chandeliers lighting the ceiling, the king sized bed and the many other fancy and expensive things which decorated everywhere. Of course It was all because my Father was pretty much the tax administrator for Equestria and my mother in charge of leading all the other rich snobs of Canterlot around with the latest trends and making sure they all wore the right clothes that were in fashion and attended the correct balls and parties.
To me up until a few years ago I had perceived this as the normal way that ponies were supposed to live and didn't care if I accidentally broke a vase were a few thousand bits or decided once that the living room was ugly and tried to incinerate it with the use of gasoline and matches.
However things had changed in recent years and eventually breaking valuable things got boring as they were replaced within the hour and trying to burn things eventually led to me almost burning alive and resulted in being sent to hospital.
I came out a different pony after seeing some of the things in there. My parents of course didn't let the servants bring gasoline to my room again but of course that was understandable since I didn't want to burn anything anymore and I was positive they didn't want me to burn anything ever again.
"Dawn I swear that if I have to send somepony up there your allowance is being reduced by a thousand bits!" my mother yelled once more and I sighed and climbed off my lavish bed and after trotting over to the tux which was finely stitched with the best materials in Equestria.
I went over to the mirror and practically threw it on and after doing up several of the buttons looked at my reflection. Although it was a little boastful of me I couldn't deny that I was quite the handsome colt with my reddish, dusty mane and tail all combed back perfectly and my Dark orange coat which shone like the sun.
I didn't like the fact I was way past the marker of being a colt and I was nowhere near getting my Cutie Mark. I was probably one of the latest bloomers in the history of receiving your Cutie Mark. I wasn't a Unicorn and I couldn't fly so that cut out hundreds of talents and then I was no musician, sportspony, scholar or good with my hooves I was just useless.
I looked into my deep brown and boring eyes and shook my head and turned away from admiring myself. I had no idea what the future held for me but I knew that if it was to do with more parties and balls then I'd probably throw my self-off a tower.
I kicked open the door to my room and in doing so broke one of the door hinges. Paying no attention to it I walked as slowly as possible down the grand staircase where my parents were waiting at the bottom all dressed up and ready to go to yet another stupid ball which my mother had organised in celebration of something little and pathetic achievement probably to do with money since everything around here was in it.
"Ah dear you're finally ready, we thought you'd fallen asleep once more" said my mother smiling at me whilst my Father just kept looking at his pocket watch and exclaimed "Yes well we really must go now or else we're going to be late for the ball"!
I sighed and nodded and followed my parents as they left through the front doors held open by the door-pony and then climbed into the carriage in front of them pulled by two more ponies. Why we needed a pony to open and close doors was something which I had begun to think about the first time I'd looked outside my happy little world and then again why did we need a carriage since the Castle was practically 300 metres from where we live at the top of Canterlot.
I climbed into the carriage and sat there thinking for the entire two minutes in which we agonisingly made our way to the castle at the speed of -100 kph "Why is my life heading nowhere"? My parents talked to themselves and me but I'd long since learned how to block out the majority of their pointless words about etiquette and acting proper and simply added a "Yes Mother" or "Yeas Father" to make them think I was actually listening to them.
"You should be very respectful this time son, not many colts get to go to these balls and this time you are going to be meeting Celestia herself" said my Father. I looked round immediately in a mixture of excitement and nervousness.
Celestia, the ruler of Equestria and Harmony itself and I was going to meet her. Not only did it make the night not a complete waste of time but maybe I would actually be able to ask her some questions like why only a few hundred ponies seemed to have the majority wealth of Equestria when I'd read of ponies who hadn't two bits to rub together.
My Father could see my face and immediately chuckled "Don't think about having a long conversation, she has time for about a hello and welcome before the ponies behind her get time to talk".
That was rather annoying but I supposed that even saying hello to a Princess which controlled the sun was better than nothing so I nodded and went back to gloomy and bored thoughts about how annoying it was to waste five hours of sitting around and doing nothing but eating cake and attempting to sneak punch without any of the adults seeing me.
We arrived and my Mother and Father were the first to step out followed by me with my shoulders hunched. We walked through the main gates and the courtyard in a line behind other rich ponies who had also dressed quite ridiculously in some cases.
I was glad I wasn't a filly since it seemed that every year the fashion got weirder and weirder and particularly in the recent years it had seemingly spiralled out of control. It was probably the influx of new fashion artists I'd read about in the Canterlot Times.
My criticisms on fashion were put aside however when I saw her. I'd of course seen Princess Celestia multiple times before in the Summer Sun Celebration but always from a distance but no that I was less than ten metres from the Princess herself I was really beginning to get nervous.
My Mother and Father's expression just turned neutral and when the line finally ended up with us standing right in front of our ruler they greeted her with great enthusiasm and almost grovelling in the case of my Father which was really strange since usually it was he who made others grovel at his hooves.
I myself despite the great excitement before and the multiple questions I'd always dreamed of asking her said nothing and simply stood with my jaw hanging open and my eyes wide as she turned and looked down at me from her great height.
"Well now who is this little one here?" asked Celestia in a tone like honey which made me feel warm and safe just by listening to it. "Oh this is my son my Princess, the one which got caught up in that nasty incident with the fire in our house. By the way thank you for dealing with that matter press wise" grovelled my Father some more to which Celestia smiled and replied "It's quite alright Haze I'm sure if our positions were switched you would have done the same for me".
My Father steppe past her and continued to the main hall with my Mother and myself in tow. He was blushing furiously and by my Mother's frown I could tell she didn't like it. "Ok Dawn, we're going to mingle with some ponies like your Uncle Rich, I believe he's been invited all the way from Ponyville so run along and enjoy yourself I do believe they're serving cake again" said my mother.
"Wow I would have never have guessed they'd serve cake at a ball" I said sarcastically rolling my eyes and trotting away over to the table where once more this year a multiple amount of fancy cakes and punch was set out for the guests.
Not that anypony touched them since etiquette and such meant that only a select few would actually eat and usually that meant kids like me and ponies with a sway in the crowd who would not be criticised for being seen eating in public!
"Oh I see you've been invited" said a rather pompous and annoying voice from behind me. I turned round to see Prince Blueblood himself in a tux and looking as usual like a very pompous idiot with a look which told everypony how much he loathed you and your very essence and presence and on and on.
He was a few years older than me but more feminine than most ponies my age especially with his fear of dirt or something I'd once heard one of my servants talking about to another servant. Still despite his annoying prattle and pompous looks he was still the only other colt besides maybe a few others who'd not usually be invited to these events so I grimaced and keeping it friendly replied "Hello Prince Blueblood, what a pleasant surprise to see you here…again".
As usual he took little notice of my welcome and went over to the multiple cakes and began helping himself, cautious to avoid icing and other things which may dirty his hooves which in turn would ruin his life.
"Well I don't understand why you can't just set another fire and burn your mansion down and save me the trouble of having to make sure you stay in line like my aunt tells me to do every ball" said the Prince as he took the tiniest bites of cake I had ever seen.
I knew he was full of crap but it amused me almost to see how far he'd go to boast about what little more he did have which all in all was simply the title Prince and the fact he was thinly related to Celestia… somehow.
"Yeah well although I'm enjoying our little talk I think I'd prefer to just go and sit in that dark corner over there and die ok" I said sarcastically to which Blueblood took no notice and waved his hoof and muttered pompously "Please do" before continuing to gorge on cakes a tiny bite at a time.
The corner I had in mind was next to some great marble pillars and despite my usual rebellious attitude towards anything lavish or fashionable I was still amazed by some of the architectural feats which continuously impressed me.
Houses which looked like desserts and desserts which looked like houses everything in Equestria seemed to have wacky relations which made it kind of fun I supposed. However thoughts about architecture disappeared as I neared the corner of the grand ballroom where nopony seemed to ever want to go.
However this time was different than usual since unlike the previous times when the door next to my badly lit, little corner of depression was guarded by some very cheerful guards now there was nopony there.
The Castle was quite restricted since in a way it was also the Ruler of Equestria's home and I supposed everypony likes their privacy but then again although I had respect for Princess Celestia I also really wanted to see if there were rooms full of ancient, magical and powerful artefacts, Chambers full of secrets and who knows what other astounding things the castle interior might contain.
So despite the fact that every part of my brain agreed that this was a terrible idea and I would burn in Tartarus for eternity my body gave the go and my legs moved forward and before I knew it I'd slipped through the door quietly without anypony spotting me and found myself in a hallway with about a hundred doors leading straight down.
When I say hallway it was more like a football field since the ceiling seem to extend endlessly and it was so wide it took a lot of energy to cross from one side to another. I was excited and slightly scared since this was technically kind of treason which also made me wonder if Celestia still executed ponies like in the books I'd read during the times of the three tribes.
I shook off that thought and the thoughts of adventure came back to me as I approached the door nearest to me and looked inside. I expected a secret laboratory or a captive dragon but instead all I found was a small drawing room.
Disappointed I rushed to another door and opened it in the same excited fashion only to find a broom closet and a bucket full of some old smelling, soapy water which I promptly stepped into. Annoyed I cursed my luck kicked the bucket away before realising that water spilling out of a broom closet might give reason for suspicion and cursing my luck once more.
However although I felt that I should be returning to the ball I didn't want hours of boredom and this was the most fun I'd had in ages and was a nice change from arguments with myself about how unfair life was and destroying stuff.
However the fun and adventure quickly died down as I went further and further down the hallways and along the corridors at the end of the hallway to more hallways with more doors and more rooms which looked exactly like the fancy and rich rooms in my mansion except slightly older and more boring and dusty.
I was a little worried since I must have been on the other side of the Castle by now and been gone for a good hour but since it would be impossible to find my way back to my original starting point I kept on like a good explorer until I opened the next door and all of my nerve disintegrated.
The door opened before I had the chance to push it open and I walked straight into somepony carrying a stack of books about two metres above their head. The next thing that happened was chaos as I stumbled into the pony and fell on top of them with the books following suit and hitting me very hard on the head one by one.
"Ow" I mumbled and rolled off what I saw was nothing but a filly about a year younger than me with violet eyes which looked both surprised and annoyed at the colt on top of her. Her coat was the colour of lavender and her tail and mane were a dark almost purple with streaks of pink and purple all the way through them and I saw that her cutie mark was some kind of star or something.
"Ow is correct" she replied clearly annoyed. "I…I…I" I tried to say something but nothing came to mind so I tried to gather the books I'd smashed into up for her but instead found that in a few mere seconds a magenta magic had engulfed them and suddenly they were all levitated into the air and in a neat but still tall pile on the lavender filly's back.
"As much as it's been fun I'm afraid I really need to head back to my room and read these for the big test tomorrow so please excuse me" said the filly quite rudely despite the fact that I had been the one to knock her and her books over.
My original fear of being discovered was replaced with curiosity since I'd never heard of any filly's studying under Princess Celestia before. So instead of taking this chance to get away I stupidly followed her and asked "Who are you"?
The lavender filly seemed lost in her own thoughts and was muttering something which sounded like "algorithms" and "Swiss cheese" to my mind under her breath but after I repeated myself she seemed to grasp that I'd asked her a question and without diverting much attention to me answered "Oh it's Twilight, Twilight Sparkle".
The name sounded familiar and I asked "Your Father wouldn't happen to be Night Light by any chance"? At this the little Unicorn paused mid step before turning and asking "How do you know my Father's name"?
I scratched the back of my head and sheepishly replied "Oh I just remember that my Dad and he worked together for a few months with property or something". She seemed to take this in and suddenly realised I was dressed up like I was going to a wedding or something.
Then her eyes widened and she asked "Are you that pony who was involved in that fire that could be seen all over Canterlot"? Of all the questions I'd expected that one was quite annoying and I realised that due to my obsession with destroying expensive things for attention I was probably branded with the nickname "The pony that started that fire when he was a colt" forever.
I put on my best smile and tried to not look annoyed and explained "Yes I am but trust me I'm not some psychopath who will set fire to the castle". She didn't look so sure but nodded and then asked "Did you also sneak away from the ball? If so you should get back cause you're not really allowed to be up here".
I nodded my head and apologised "I'm sorry I was just so bored and Prince Blueblood is out there being an annoying, self-centred dweeb like always". Realising I'd just spoken ill of a Prince I put my hooves over my mouth in an attempt to not say anything else stupid.
I expected a lecture but instead Twilight gave a small giggle and added "Yeah and he's always annoying my brother Shining Armour by turning up to the Guard Training Barracks and attempting to join in but always wimping out because of the dirt involved in touching the training floor".
My eyes went wider when she said Shining Armour and I asked in disbelief "Your brother is Shining Armour, the guy every colt in Canterlot wants to be like"! Twilight was a little taken aback with my description of her brother but she nodded and responded "I guess so but I never knew people envied him so but yeah he is a really awesome brother".
I was certainly astounded by all the fascinating things I'd just heard but then Twilight just piled on when she explained "He wants to be a guard so he's training to be one in the barracks just behind the castle, he joined up about the same time I became the Princess's personal student".
All this new and amazing information was so interesting I was sure my jaw dropped even further. "No way" I murmured but she nodded and I couldn't help but say "That is so cool"! She giggled again but then looked at the time on a clock above the library door behind us and stammered "Oh I-I kind of have to go you see I have all these books to read for tomorrow and stuff…but i-it was nice meeting you".
As she said this I also looked at the time and decided it best I try to find my way back out of the impossible maze of corridors and to the ball room. "Yeah I suppose I should be going now as well, g-goodbye Twilight" I said with a small and self-conscious wave of my hoof.
She smiled but concentrated on levitating her books away as we both went our separate ways. I was feeling strange and certainly not as depressed as when I'd walked through the doors and past Princess Celestia.
Although technically the quite brief encounter with a Princess/Deity I still thought that meeting Twilight was a nice touch to the night despite not finding rooms filled with old relics and dragons in dungeons with slime dripping from the ceiling.
"I watch too many movies in my home cinema" I said to myself as I followed the path I thought I'd taken originally. Getting back proved very difficult and I suppose I should have asked Twilight for some rough directions but then again not sneaking behind party parameters would have probably been a better solution as I found myself once more hopelessly lost.
"Maybe I should have brought string and marked my way out just like Daring Doo and the Labyrinth" I muttered to myself after passing once more through another hallway. However the next Hallway looked promising as there was a door right at the end which looked like the way I'd come in.
Happy to finally be out of this maze and to have not been found out by anypony I quickly made my way towards it only to find in horror that the door was opening slowly. Thinking quickly I burst through the door nearest To me and peeked round the side.
"Quickly Lord Haze and Lady Daisy's son has been missing for over an hour, we must search every room for him" came the gruff voice of a guard and I saw behind him quite a few other guards all saluting and nodding their heads as they set forwards.
I shut the doors and looked around the room. It was an old, small dance floor with many pictures all over its walls and a grand old fireplace in the centre. The portraits of ponies didn't seem to like me being in here but I wasn't paying attention and instead looked for a place to hide.
There was a coat rack with a large cloak on it which I could hide behind but that seemed stupid and I dismissed the thought. There was always the possibility of hiding behind the door and hoping nopony looked behind it when they opened it but then again these were guards, not ponies playing hide and seek not that any other kid my age seemed to want to play a common pony game.
I then looked towards the fireplace and thought to myself "Maybe I should just come quietly, it's not like they'll execute me" but then the slamming of the door next to mine made up my mind and although I wasn't afraid of dirt I grimaced and quickly ducked below the fire place and up the chimney.
I was thankful that it wasn't blocked off and quickly shimmied my way up higher, feeling the ash I dislodged with my hooves as I went. I wanted to cough but then that would give away my position so instead I just held my breath as I heard the door to the room open loudly and from what I could detect my the hoof steps two guard entered.
"That was weird" I thought to myself. "I've never been able to tell things just by hearing them". However right now I wasn't particularly worried about being able to hear very well and simply prayed to Celestia that her guards didn't find me hiding up a chimney.
There were no words which was unsurprising as guards only spoke when they really had to and maintained a steely gaze and attitude the rest of the time but I was surprised when I heard one ask "Hey Sunshine has your wife given birth yet"?
"No not yet but I'm just hoping I can be there for the birth instead of looking for some dumb, lost kid" replied Sunshine a little annoyance evident in his voice. "Well I checked behind the coat rack, is he behind the door?" asked Sunshine's friend and I heard a clack of armour which must have been Sunshine shaking his head.
Sunshine chuckled and said "If only all colts and fillies were as good as that Personal Student of Celestia's. What's her name?" asked Sunshine. "Twilight I think" replied his friend and they both chuckled and then went back to silence.
"I'll lock the door to ensure everypony knows it's already been searched" said Sunshine and with that the two guards exited the room and I heard the clunk of the doo closing and a lock turning. Not a moment too soon as my limbs felt like they were going to be torn from their sockets.
I collapsed on top of more ash in the fireplace and gave a series of small coughs I tried to keep quite by coughing into my tux's sleeves. "That was probably the most daring and dangerous thing I've ever done" I said to myself with a smile which quickly turned into a depressed frown as I somehow didn't picture Daring Doo hiding up a chimney from a guard called Sunshine.
However despite avoiding one problem there was still the fact that the guard had locked me in and I was covered and smelled like ash and it was really killing my lungs. My tux was ruined (although I didn't care much) and my coat and mane were black and grey in most places and completely ruffled.
I walked over to the door and grimaced at the black marks I left behind as I walked. Definitely a dead giveaway but not that I could do anything about it so I focused on looking for a way out of the door. Daring Doo would probably have picked the long but then Daring Doo was an explorer and I was just a colt who read a lot of fiction and hated society.
However looking at the fireplace the fact that it wasn't blocked off meant that there must be an outlet for any smoke and I knew that they still used it by all the fresh ash I felt all over my body. Then again the chimney could be anywhere and certainly high and was I prepared to crawl up and down a chimney to get to freedom and probably get stuck all over again.
However the possibility of climbing through a chimney like my idol were really too good to let up and so without much thought I raced back up the chimney. Well in doing so I fell over my own hooves and slammed my head into the floor by the fireplace.
A little dizzy, I cursed fate and went about climbing up the chimney more cautiously this time. The soot once more killed my lungs and I was pretty sure as I ascended height and higher into the chimney that I was probably so black that I must have looked like a shadow or a ninja.
Thinking about this made me think just how cool this was right until I felt my head brush against the top of the chimney. Although dark I was pretty sure that going any further meant I needed some demolition equipment.
I was a little angry about having got this far only to have to go back down and call for help and then face embarrassment and about a million lectures from my Mother, Father, Guards and I feared Celestia as well.
I never would have dreamed that a boring ball could turn into such an adventure but then again this wasn't really exploring and more hiding and running away. So I prepared to go back down and take the bitter medicine when I felt a passage ahead of me and realised the chimney tunnel went forwards instead of upwards.
All feelings of defeat gone I proceeded forwards, careful not to slip. I was now on my belly and crawling along in the dark and where some colts may have been afraid I was simply elated. I began considering if I had a problem but dismissed this and decided it was more fun to think of myself as Daring Doo.
I kept crawling along but being caught up in my thoughts I failed to notice that there was no longer a floor in front of me but by then it was too late and I was falling down another chimney tunnel. I would have cried out had I had the time but luckily for me the drop was about half a metre and I landed in another chimney with a quite audible "Ow"!
I looked up dizzily and after wiping my eyes saw that I was in the fireplace of a well-lit, circular room with a purple bed in the corner by an elegant window. The walls were covered in tapestries and papers full of algorithms and famous points in history I had no clue about and all around the room there was paper and books.
In fact I'd say up to sixty-percent of the room consisted of books and a desk with a very startled looking Twilight Sparkle looking at me with her quill still dipped in in an ink pot as she had most likely paused everything when a strange colt had come down the chimney.
Since the situation was very delicate and needed to be handled with care I decided it best I carefully explained the situation to Twilight however all my mouth was able to say was "I know I'm in your fireplace but I don't plan to set anything on fire". I internally smacked myself when Twilight's head tilted in confusion and all I could think of saying was "Please don't scream I didn't mean to fall down your chimney".
My excellent choice of words seemed to keep her from screaming but then a pony falling down you're chimney wasn't exactly an everyday occurrence so of course some questions needed to be asked.
"What exactly are you doing?" was the first one followed by "Are you stalking me"? "No I-I'm not stalking you Miss Sparkle, Twilight umm… I'm just examining your chimney as I'm fascinated with architecture and I must say you should be very proud to have such a fine chimney" I coughed as some ash fell into my eye.
She didn't seem convinced by my best lie and I admitted "Ok I might have got lost heading back to the ball and in doing so somepony must have realised I was missing and now there may be a castle wide search going on looking for me and so I might have his up a chimney and then decided to explore and try and find another way out because the guards locked the door to the room I was hiding in… and stuff" I said catching a breath.
She was still confused but then again anypony would be and looking back I suppose that going up a chimney was probably one of the stupidest ideas ever. However her next words surprised me when she pointed put "I don't remember you having a cutie mark with a skull on fire".
I was confused at first but I quickly looked round to see that my Cutie Mark was indeed a pony's skull engulfed by red flames. I had finally gotten my Cutie Mark from climbing through a dirty chimney. I frowned and my excitement died down a little and I asked Twilight "Does this mean my special talent it to do with fire because I really don't want it to be?" I asked Twilight, ignoring the fact I was on my back and lying in her fireplace.
She just stared at me and by the look on her face she was either considering screaming for guards or answering my question. "Well the skull could mean danger so maybe you're like a daredevil or something" answered Twilight, seemingly happy for me receiving my Cutie Mark.
"Well I suppose I did like the danger and challenge presented by crawling through a chimney" I said happily but Twilight's faced changed from curiosity to that of an angry mother whose child had just broken the family vase… again.
"You shouldn't be here, do you realise how much trouble you're going to be in when Celestia finds out you've been climbing through the chimney passages of the castle"! She was quite angry but before I could focus on making an apology or counter argument I heard hoofsteps galloping towards the room and hastily said "I'm not here" before I quickly dived back up the fireplace with surprising speed.
The door opened loudly and a guard came in with his armour making small clanking noises and respectfully asked "Miss Sparkle has anypony been or passed by your room with the description of a colt with a red mane and orange fur"?
There were a few moments of silence and I fretted over what would happen if Twilight gave me up. Had I been in her position I would certainly have done it since it was only sensible for the smart, talented and most of all studious student of Celestia to tell the truth to one of the palace guards.
However when Twilight squeaked out a small "No" the guard took no notice of the blatantly obvious lie and with another small clank of his armour which must have been a salute, he exited the room without another word and the room fell eerily silent.
"Did you… did you just lie for me?" I asked coming down from the fireplace and looking at Twilight in amazement and thankfulness. She herself looked a bit shocked at the lie she had just told but nodded without an explanation.
Before I could ask her anything else I heard shouting down the hallways and suddenly doors outside Twilight's room were being searched. I didn't know how thorough a search of Twilight's room would be but I didn't want to find out so I whispered a quick "Goodbye" before once more climbing up the chimney.
"Wait" said Twilight and I turned at the last moment to see her looking up the chimney at me. "You can't live in the chimneys, you'll be discovered and get into worse trouble than now, I promise Celestia won't reprimand you if you come down now" she proffered but I was already too far in the game and besides like Twilight had remarked I felt the adrenaline through my system and since it was what my Cutie Mark was telling me I wasn't going to argue with it.
"That's ok Twilight, take care" I said kindly with a feeling of affection for the filly which had just lied when she barely even knew me. With one last glance back I once more began to climb the chimney system with more vigour and bravado than I previously possessed.
Although the soot got in my eyes and burned my lungs I just loved the danger. The soot smelled, tasted, felt of it to me in a strange way at the feeling of adrenaline was unreal. I hadn't had this much fun in like… ever and I'd be damned to Tartarus if I was going to just give it all up now and face embarrassment and humiliation from Celestia, my parents, the entire city and probably all of Equestria.
I climbed very high this time and was more careful of the possible junctions and holes in the floor in the chimney tunnels but I was more cautious when I heard the sounds of shouting guards nearby the fireplaces I passed over.
However after a solid twenty-minutes of climbing and manoeuvring through tight spaces I finally heard less and less the hoof-steps and orders of guard that went by and instead an eerie silence. I was surprised as I climbed higher to feel a cold wind blowing over me and suddenly without warning my head popped up and into the dark night and I could see it must have been almost midnight by the deep stars in the sky.
I could see all of Canterlot and the waterfall which ran out of the mountain which supported the city and also which contained a network of tunnels for the trains which ran from Las Pegasus to Ponyville, Las Pegasus being the busier of the two.
Suddenly in panic I ducked down as a flash of torchlight went by and carried on into the castle grounds. Now that I noticed it there were ponies with torches on every balcony and what looked like Wonderbolts with flashlights in their hooves.
This was pretty serious if the entire guard and even the Wonderbolts had been called up to look for me and I briefly considered backing out. However although usually my brain was dominant and always ruling my every move a new part seemed to have formed and it said "Let's escape just like in Daring Doo and the Conviction" which was one of the more violent of the novels I'd ever read.
So since the chimney was behind the castle yet still too high I had to make my way back down without falling to my death I was content with the risk of falling to my death but the actual falling to death scared the living daylight out of me.
I continued down until I came to the first opening of a fireplace and decided the upper levels although being searched probably weren't locked. I climbed carefully down and crawled out of the chimney.
I found I was in some kind of old and unused room with multiple ornaments and odd things covered in white sheets and a layers of dust so thick it looked like it was more dust than sheet. There was a sculpture of a ferocious dragon with ruby eyes, a strange deceased creature in a jar and a very straight and perfect looking mirror in the corner.
I went over to it and looked over myself. The light of the moon from the nearby window wasn't much but I could easily see that my coat, mane and even my recently acquired cutie mark were now totally covered in soot.
I looked like a completely different pony and although I liked black it just wasn't my colour. I adjusted my ruined tux and was about to set off again when suddenly I thought I caught a flash of something in the mirror like eyes staring at me or something.
A little creeped out by the glimpse of eyes in the mirror I decided it best to leave this odd room and went about manoeuvring myself around the odd junk and old relics the room had in search of the door or a light switch.
I eventually found the light switch and flicked it on and a bare bulb flashed to life, flickering and failing every so often. I now could see the room properly and realized that the door was behind a pile of old and twisted furniture which even my grandparents didn't have the likes of.
I looked around for something I could use and seeing nothing except really rusty swords and creepy old sculptures I set to work on clearing the way to the door. I first moved an old bed frame and then a cot with a moon on it which made me feel strange just touching it. Then I moved an old armchair and finally a table.
However as I moved the table I didn't notice the expose nail underneath it and before I could even register pain I saw the blood dripping from my right fore-hoof. I cursed and fell over, holding my hoof tight and scrunching my face up.
The nail had gone quite deep and it was quite rusty which I was positive would mean a trip to the hospital for me. Although painful I pulled the nail out with a small whimper and although I was no medic I was able to tie a small bandage with a piece of ripped dustsheet to stop the majority of the blood pouring out of my hoof.
That was when I noticed something strange. The table was old and carved so why would it need nails? I got up and peered underneath the table to see that along the table structure a box had been hammered into the thick oak wood with nails.
The one which had cut me had come loose and by the looks of it the rest had all corroded away as well. So now that my curiosity had gotten the better of me I grabbed the box firmly with my hooves, wincing as my injured hoof grasped one side.
Then giving my strongest tug I pulled it free from the underside of the table. I saw that the box was locked and needed to be opened with key but since it was old and made of wood I simply got a rusty, jewel encrusted dagger which was labelled "Gift from the Emperor of Saudi Arabia" and used it to pry the box open.
A dust explosion was released when the box came open but as I wafted away the dust and coughed a few times I saw what could only be described as the most beautiful thing in Equestria and probably the rest of the world for good measure.
It was some kind of golden amulet which would be used to tie a cloak or something around somepony and although made of simple gold the beauty which stemmed from it was the rich red jewel in its centre which seemed to swirl with some form of ghostly energy within it.
I didn't think twice about taking it although my parents gave me everything I had to take it. I knew that it was wrong but then again I figured that somepony had left it to rot in a box when the world should view its immense beauty.
I fastened it over my chest and admired it in the mirror where I'd seen the flash of eyes. It was strange on my body since I was covered in soot but I just couldn't get over the way it shone like the sun and had the ghostly mists of the night within its centre.
I was pleased with myself and made my way out of the door, not bothering to switch off the light behind me. However I received a sharp awakening from my little fantasy when I turned around after closing the door as I saw right in front of me Princess Celestia herself sitting on some purple cushions and writing many notes at a fast speed.
She was facing me and although looking down I was sure that by now she would have realised that a colt covered in ash was in the room wearing a stolen artefact and shaking his legs for fear of being executed for both treason and stealing from the crown.
I was about to say something when all of a sudden Celestia stood up and went to the balcony looking directly at me as she turned her head around. "What's going on?" I asked myself but looking down I saw the amulet shining ever brighter and realised "The Amulet must be hiding me from her view somehow"!
Not only was it awesome the fact I was invisible but in the bedroom and study of a deity was even more incredible than all the past things I'd done that night. However it was still quite dangerous since I didn't know if I could be heard so I carefully tip-toed over to where the Princess had been writing her letters before she'd gone to her balcony.
Although it was very rude to read all these notes and letters I couldn't help but see that one was addressed to Twilight about some kind of test using something called a Spike to send letters. Others were diplomatic, financial and in one or two cases personal and I didn't think much of it.
However the fact I was here was too good an opportunity to pass up and so I grabbed the quill which the Princess had been using and wrote "Beware the cheese!" on the note before setting it down and stepping back to admire the very childish action I had just done.
Suddenly I heard Celestia speaking to somepony outside and although I'd already pushed my luck to the point of no return I wanted to take it even further instead of using the amazing amulet which made me invisible to get out of the castle.
"I just worry sometimes Luna and now more than ever with the 1000 years mark coming up" said Celestia to surprisingly enough to nopony. She was standing tall with her flowing rainbow mane waving in the air sluggishly and from what I could see talking to the stars and the full moon.
"I'm tired of it all Luna, the aristocrats, the diplomats, the constant bickering between everypony and the stress of running the country. If it could just be like it were before then I would be happy but I just don't know if things will ever be the same again" Celestia spoke sadly to the stars with a single crystalline tear leaking out of her eye and dropping to the floor as her head bowed sadly.
The scene was totally not the image the public got of her and I was so surprise that I had backed away right into the night stand by her gigantic, silky and golden bed. Of course the lamp on the top of it toppled off and fell to the floor with an extra loud smash which made me cringe.
Celestia's change in attitude was instantaneous and she spun round and charged back into the room and over to where the lamp had fallen with her horn glowing with a golden aurora of magic. "Come out immediately" she yelled and as she began sweeping the room two Unicorn guards which had been standing outside the door burst in with their spears poised to attack anypony which might be hurting their Princess.
I had lucky moved away and was now atop the bed as the others combed the room, Celestia motioning with her hoof for them to be silent as they all went around the room slowly, checking everywhere.
"Look" whispered one guard, pointing to the note which I had written. I couldn't help but crack a huge grin at how puzzled everypony looked but when the other guard noticed the slight pieces of ash which had fallen from my body without my knowledge and led in a trail all the way to where I was standing I decided that it was time I split in a fair hurry.
My fore-hoof still hurt but since everypony was working out the fact I was invisible I made no act to conceal by hoof-steps as I jumped from the bed and employed the ancient tactic of running away very fast.
The noise was instantly registered but the guard had no idea where from and looked around wildly as I exited the doors to the Princess's room and proceed to run down the long hallways. The guards and the Princess realised where the noise was coming from and instantly gave chase.
Although I was young and by no accords a fat colt I was still not that in shape and although the guards had trouble keeping up with me with their armour and weapons weighing them down the Princess had no such trouble and by contrast her long legs made it easy for her to gain on me.
"Come quietly and I promise no harm shall befall you" she yelled but although I didn't doubt her I wasn't going to stop. I realised that the ash was still giving me away and decided that I was time I took a detour.
I crashed through the nearest door to me and after quickly seeing that it was an empty storage room I located the fireplace and shot up it like a bolt of lightning. Celestia charged in behind me and saw the falling ash from the fireplace and using her magic tried to hit whatever was invisibly making its escape.
However I had gotten accustomed to how the chimney tunnels worked and I was quickly moving my way along. I spotted another fireplace opening and made my way down. I realised I was in a trophy room and after a quick look round the room I made my way to the door and opened it.
I peeked around the corner to check if anypony was in the corridors but after finding nopony I immediately set off down the hallway in a quick walk. The marble pillars and banners of Equestria flapped as some gentle breeze passed through and I realised I must be close to some way out or at least an open window. However my luck although previously had been terrible and deceiving was now finally deciding to show up and the grand red staircase I had entered with my parents was presented right before my eyes.
I was never so happy in all my life and so I shot down the stairs as fast as I possibly could and then out of the main doors, past some very confused guards standing by the main entrance gate and out into Canterlot.
I didn't take it easy for fear of being chased and so I made my way home in record time and by the end of it I could feel the sweat and ash created a horrible texture all over my body and decided it was probably best I took a very long shower before I said hello to my parents.
That would be the tricky part since they thought I was missing and turning up all of a sudden, miraculously unharmed and looking like I work in a chimney sweep business would definitely raise question that would only add to the couple of hundred they were going to yell at me.
However despite all the stress it had been thrilling. I had discovered my cutie mark, found a rare artefact with magical properties which made me invisible and escaped from the Princess of the Sun herself and all her guards.
It was just like I was in some kind of story like Daring Doo or somepony else and although I had managed to stab myself in the hoof with a nail and now probably had some kind of disease which would be the cherry on top of the irony pie.
However I decided that showering was my priority and after pushing the door open and confusing the door pony on duty I made my way up the stairs (leaving dirty black marks all the way) and when I got to my room I gratefully threw the completely annihilated tux to the floor and climbed into the shower.
It was amazing how much ash went down the drain, nearly twenty minutes and still I wasn't clean. However I decided that it would need to suffice and my parents had worried about me for long enough. So I climbed out and after drying myself with the towel, went to say hello to them.
However before I even exited the bathroom I couldn't help but notice my cutie mark which looked sick (In a good way). It was probably going to be another long conversation with my parents since although nopony would mind it probably made me look like I was in a rock band or like some riff raff punks which my Father was always going on about.
I grabbed the amulet I'd set on the table by my wardrobe and after fixing my mane so it was a little straighter I headed through my room to the staircase.
I made my way down the smaller staircase of our house and into the lounge where I believed my parents would be. I was feeling slightly guilty since they were probably worried out of their minds about me but I brushed off the feeling and decided it was for the best.
I entered quietly with the amulet in my hand but instead of a stony silence which I expected there to be all I heard was shouting. I saw my Father standing by the mantle place with eyes which spoke rage and my mother who seemed to be in tears.
By the way they looked I could tell they must have been really upset and I began to tear up but then suddenly my Father yelled "I treated him like a son and all I got was nothing but ignored and disinterest from him"!
My mother was crying worse and worse now and although before I had felt guilty now I was curious what my Father had just said. "Like a son" I thought "A slip of the tongue perhaps" even so I just wanted to see what the next thing he'd say was and so I fastened the amulet around my neck and made my way closer to them.
"He has no interest in living his life for the family and would instead dream about adventuring off to foreign lands to find a bunch of dusty old relics!" yelled my Father, smashing a vase with his hoof and tearing his hair out.
"He's only a little colt" cried my Mother but my Father shook his head furiously and spat "When I was that age I prided on making my first million bits for my Father and I had more friends than he has ever had and yet he takes no interest in making any and it is damaging my reputation"!
My mother was calming down although still fragile as I could see but my Father was still in full swing and he yelled "At least I know whose genes created that messed up mistake, not mine but my cheating, backstabbing wife and probably some lowly servant.
My mother was furious although still crying she stood up and slapped my Father and yelled "You couldn't give me a child so I did what any mare my age would have done. I would never have done it to harm you but I wanted a child and so did you"!
I couldn't believe what I was hearing and without even knowing it the tears which were rolling down my face previously were now like waterfalls as I discover the truth of my birth in the most horrible of ways possible.
My Father was quiet and his face burned bright red. Although he was still angry he went into a silent rage whilst my Mother just stood there and stared at him furiously yet with the tears from previously still clear in his eyes.
My Father touched his tender face and quietly but dangerously told her "Pack your things and get out of this house by tomorrow, you will receive an adequate sum of money and that is all you shall receive. When… If they find your son then you will take him and you can tell him that his Mother was a cheating Whorse and that if I ever see him again he'll have the job of opening and closing the doors for my house".
My Mother was shocked and her eyes showed it but the rest of her was resilient and fuming and she asked "Don't you give a single damn for the child you helped love and raise since he was just a foal"?
My Father or at least the pony I thought had been my Father turned his back and leaned against the fireplace. He thought for several moments before coldly responding "No" and walking away to the drinks cabinet where he indulged in a huge glass of whisky.
My Mother once more began to sob but she had gotten the message and began to leave. However she turned when she was just next to me and for a few moments I thought she could see me and my tears stained face but she had turned to my Father and said "Don't worry Haze I'll make sure that the word spreads about your wife and what she did and also about where your son originated from".
My Father spun round and sloshed the whisky as he did so and exclaimed "You wouldn't dare! You have a reputation to maintain and it would destroy you"! However my Mother just smiled and said "But it would destroy you too which would make it worth it".
My Father turned from red to purple and my Mother just continued to smile however she dropped the smile when my Father's eyes turned dangerous and he threw down the glass which smashed on the floor and stormed over to my Mother who backed away in fear.
"I'll kill you and that little mistake if you tell anypony" he yelled making a grab for her, however I was already way ahead of him and I barrelled into him, knocking him to the floor and away from my Mother.
My Father didn't know I had intervened and believed it was my Mother who had pushed him and he yelled "You little!" and sprang back up with a shard of whisky glass in hiss hoof. My Mother turned away in fear but luckily before anything else happened the door-pony from outside came into the lounge and gasped at the sight he saw before him.
My Mother ran into his arms and began sobbing and my Father stepped back in embarrassment and dropped the shard of glass. The door-pony held my Mother and looked oddly at my Father. More servants began to show up and my Father backed away into the back of the room.
He grabbed the entire bottle of whisky and started to sob as loud as my Mother. I was crying too but I didn't want to be heard and simply let the noise channel into my gut, making me feel a sick. I pushed through the crowd of staring ponies who were not sure how to act and made my way to the front hall.
I felt sick and didn't know what to do. I wasn't my Father's son and by the looks of it I had screwed up their marriage and probably their lives. I was just a mistake and not the pony they wanted me to be.
I looked around the house and saw all the stuff I was one day supposed to inherit. It wasn't mine, I didn't deserve it I didn't deserve anything. I looked out the main doors and decided, I ran out and into the dark night. It began to rain but I didn't care I just needed to get away in a hurry.
I didn't know what to do, where to go and I knew nothing about the world but I made a promise to myself that I would never ever come back here.
Yay… Chapter 1 completo, if anyone has any ideas they'd like to share PM me or comment in a review. J